I am trying some new foods on The 17 Day Diet. For instance, Kefir (kee-fur) is something I hadn’t tried before. I didn’t even know what it was until I read about it on line. In simple terms, it is a fermented, probiotic, milk drink made with Kefir grains. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that live in your intestinal tract and aid in digestion as well as a host of other benefits. Kefir tastes like a liquid yogurt, kind of tart! This makes it perfect for berry smoothies!
Kefir whirled in the blender with a cup of frozen mixed berries, a little flax seed oil, some NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia drops and a cup of ice.
The end result was a huge container of deliciously thick and creamy berry delight. So thick I had to eat it with a spoon! I loved it and will be making more of these. If you like smoothies check out some of my favorite smoothies here. Not only did this taste good but it kept me full for hours. That is the awesome thing about this food plan, it’s packed with food that is nutritional, filling and tasty. When you give your body (less processed) food that is high in nutrients you don’t crave more food.
I found this at Whole Foods but Trader Joe’s, health food stores and even your regular grocery store should carry some brand of kefir. I read that it can also be used as a substitute for buttermilk in recipes.
This is one of the ”friendly fats” included in the 17 Day Diet food plan. It can be found in the refrigeration section of the health food store. All fats are not created equal, some of them are actually healthy and good for you. Flaxseed oil is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9. This one tastes pretty good too. Look for cold pressed, unrefined, organic flax oil.
Kefir Berry Smoothie with Flax Oil
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1 cup unsweetened Kefir
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1 cup frozen unsweetened mixed berries
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1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
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a few drops NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Drops or sweetener of your choice
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1 cup ice cubes
Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.
Serves 1
Adapted from The 17 Day Diet Recipe
Saturday was another day of hiking for us. :) This time we had a 10 mile, 5 hour hike with a 900 foot elevation but with a more gradual hike up. Not as steep as last weeks hike! However, it was still a good workout for our butt and thigh muscles! We wear several layers to start out and then peel them off as we warm up. This trail actually kept us in the woods most of the time and it was quite cool.
Lions, snakes and poison oak – oh my! This sign was at the trail head. No worries – we didn’t see any of these.
The trail was narrow like this most of the hike. There were incredible views, little streams and moss covered boulders at every turn.
These furry, frost covered flora were all over the place. I have no idea what they are.
A view of the American River as we hiked to the top. It was so beautiful. Scenes like this make me happy! I love the mountains.
Nutmeg Notes
The weekend flew by for me how about you? The older you get the faster they go. I didn’t do much cooking so we ate things out of the freezer that we had cooked ahead. Feta Turkey Burgers freeze well and are easy to heat up in the microwave. Check out some of my favorite burger recipes here. Hubby Tom enjoyed some Beef & Bean Chili. It’s so easy to double recipes and freeze the extras for easy meals later on.
My food plan is going well, everything is quite filling. I am getting in tons of exercise and feeling excited about how things are going. Nice weather, sunshine and spending time outside helps with the good mood.
Dr. Oz’s Fat-urday Cheat Plan
Did anyone see the Dr Oz show on Friday where he talked about having a cheat day (He called it Fat-urday) during your weight loss efforts? He said that going off your diet once in a while (only once every 5 days) stimulates the thyroid gland and can wake up your metabolism. Tons of dieting experts agree that you should build in “cheat days” since too much deprivation can actually lead to more cravings, causing you to break from your diet.
1. Choose Your Fat-urday Cheat Day Decide at the beginning of the week which day you want to make your cheat day so you have something to look forward to. By doing so, you’ll be less likely to cheat during the rest of the week. Also, make sure there are at least 5 days between your cheat days.
2. Eliminate the Binge Temptation Don’t let your cheat day turn into a binge day. First, avoid eating in certain locations that can encourage mindless eating, such as, in your car, while walking around the house or standing up in the kitchen or eating out of the fridge.
Also refrain from eating straight from a bag or carton. To avoid binging, always put your food on a small plate, and eat while you’re sitting down. This will help increase your awareness of how much food you’re putting in your mouth.
Remember: If you’re trying to lose weight, limit total calorie intake to between 1500-1600 calories per day on your Fat-urday!
I think it’s a great idea if done right. I am thinking that I will reserve this for maintenance. You have to have some fun things that you incorporate into your food plan and can look forward to. I like the idea of eating lighter six days a week and having one special meal on the weekend. I will see when I get back to my happy weight how I want to incorporate this concept into my food plan.
Tami
Add Your Thoughts
Have you had Kefir?
What do you think of the Fat-urday idea?
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29 comments
3 pings
wendy says:
February 6, 2012 at 8:54 am (UTC -7)
while i am enjoying hearing about the 17day diet experience i am curious….what happened to weight watchers?
Tami says:
February 6, 2012 at 9:20 am (UTC -7)
Great question Wendy. A combination of things caused me to gain 12 pounds. Emotional eating, a changing metabolism with a changing body with menopause, and the food choices I was making were not working for me to lose weight. I needed to make a change in order to shake up my metabolism and start to lose weight again. I felt like I had to do something different.
The 17 Day Diet is a food plan that is designed to help kick start your metabolism by the foods you are encouraged to eat and by cutting back on the carbs – even the good ones. That combination is working for me to lose weight and not crave carbs.
Some people are using the 17 Day Diet food choices and counting the WW points. I just don’t feel like counting points right now – I need a break and a change and I need to drop these extra pounds, which is exactly the results I am getting.
I still think that WW is an awesome program and I might count points again – never say never!
wendy says:
February 13, 2012 at 7:05 pm (UTC -7)
Hhhmmmm…..i think i may go check out the book. Is it pretty easy to undrstand and follow?
Tami says:
February 14, 2012 at 5:37 am (UTC -7)
That is the beauty of it Wendy, it’s a very simple food plan. Not a lot of counting either, such a nice change!
wendy.burgess74@gmail.com says:
February 22, 2012 at 1:28 pm (UTC -7)
Quick question for you….i thought i read somewhee in your blog that the 17 dd doesn’t allow for squash? If so why?
Tami says:
February 23, 2012 at 9:18 am (UTC -7)
Hi Wendy!
There is no winter squash on the first 17 day cycle. On Cycle 2 it is added back in and allowed as one your carb servings every other day.
Hope that helps!
Racheal @ Running with Racheal says:
February 6, 2012 at 8:59 am (UTC -7)
Fat-urday…ha! That’s funny.
I think that is what WW allows by adding in those weekly points. My cheat days are always during the weekend, but having those extra points makes me feel so not-guilty about it!
Tami says:
February 6, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -7)
Yep those weekly points come in handy for the weekends!
Karen@WaistingTime says:
February 6, 2012 at 11:22 am (UTC -7)
I have watched just a bit of that show; it’s recorded. Important to note is that he is VERY specific as to what foods you can cheat with.
So… TMI question for you. Have you noticed any issues with the probiotics you are having for your plan? I tried them in a pill for a couple of years ago and had some side effects that I don’t want to repeat. They, ahem, slowed things wayyyyyy down. If you get what I mean.
Tami says:
February 6, 2012 at 12:07 pm (UTC -7)
Hi Karen, good question! I have not had any issues with the addition of Kefir in my diet. Of course I eat a great deal of vegetables that are loaded with fiber so perhaps that helps! I have one serving of Kefir and one of yogurt each day.
FF Greek yogurt has been a part of my daily food plan for a long time so perhaps my system was already use to the good bacteria.
Also on this food plan you have 3 cups of green tea, plus 8 glasses of water a day – I think it helps to keep things moving!
Tish says:
February 6, 2012 at 11:37 am (UTC -7)
Haven’t tried Kefir.
I think that a pre-planned day where you can have some of the “forbidden fruits” in your everyday plan makes sense. I’m on day 4 of the 17 day. I’m looking forward to losing a nice chunk of pounds and graduating up the 4 cycles until I get to the one that has a relaxed-rules weekend!
Tami says:
February 6, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -7)
Tish congrats on being on day! How are things going for you so far?
I too am looking forward to the relaxed rules for the weekends when I arrive at maintenance. I was just talking to hubby about this on our walk this morning.
Sharon says:
February 6, 2012 at 11:37 am (UTC -7)
Like you, I’d never tasted Kefir until I began the 17-Day Diet, but oh boy, have I ever become a fan of Kefir Smoothies. I’m pretty much enjoying them every day and have tried many types of fruit combinations. I really like the flavored Kefirs especially blueberry using a frozen blueberry/strawberry mix for my cup of fruit. I also use a tablespoon of all fruit jam as the sweetener. Yum…..bout time for today’s smoothie as it’s usually my mid-afternoon treat. I walk a fine line with getting it in as close to 2 p.m. as possible, but yet late enough to know it’ll hold me over well till dinner time. And BTW, I’ve also started adding a handful of spinach to get a veggie serving. Changes absolutely NOTHING – not even the color.
Tami says:
February 6, 2012 at 12:11 pm (UTC -7)
I haven’t tried the fruit flavored Kefir but I just might – it would be a nice flavor boost for the smoothies. Love the idea of adding a little spinach – I like to add kale to smoothies for extra fiber and vitamins.
I did buy some of the all fruit jams but havne’t tried them in the smoothie yet. In todays smoothie I added a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa and it was fabulous! It is tricky trying to get that fruit serving in before 2:00! The smoothie made with the flax oil keeps me full for hours – I love that.
Thanks for all the tips Sharon!
Andrea@WellnessNotes says:
February 6, 2012 at 2:41 pm (UTC -7)
I used to drink a lot of Kefir but had almost forgotten about it. After you wrote about it in your last post, I picked up a bottle. I like it just plain, but I’ll give your smoothie a try sometime soon!
Glad the plan is still going well for you!
Looks like another gorgeous hike!!!
Jody - Fit at 54 says:
February 6, 2012 at 2:58 pm (UTC -7)
I love that smoothie! I have a friend that switched over to nothing but Kefir instead of yogurt & she loves it!!! That smoothie looks delish!
As for Faturday – I have never done like a whole day of “cheating” like some people do. For me, it has always been eat healthy a majority of the time but my weekends, I eat my normal healthy stuff BUT as you well know, plan for my treat cookies – I don’t call it cheating because it is not to me – I plan for my treat cookies!
Tami says:
February 7, 2012 at 2:16 pm (UTC -7)
Jody I agree I don’t think a whole day of “cheating” is a good idea – it’s too much like binge eating and that isn’t healthy for anyone. I think your weekend cookies are a great idea – I love the moderation and control with mostly healthy eats!
The Candid RD (Gina) says:
February 7, 2012 at 4:04 am (UTC -7)
The smoothie sounds wonderful! Although I’d personally prefer using actual ground flax, for the extra fiber
I didn’t see the Dr. Oz show, but I did hear about it. I think it’s fine to have a “cheat day” as long as (like you said) it doesn’t turn into a BINGE day! So many people think of “cheat” as “binge”….there is a big difference! That needs to be clear. My cheat day is typically Friday
Renee@Mykitchenadventures says:
February 7, 2012 at 6:04 am (UTC -7)
I have had Kefir and it does crazy things to my digestive tract…and not in a good way…lol I like the taste though. I don’t know if they still carry them, but Costco used to sell small bottles of it you could buy by the case in their refrigerated section..I used to get them for my daughter who DOES have digestive issues with being regular. It helped her a lot.
I have recently grown fond of smoothies and my current fav is a green tea one which I hope to post about one of these days!
You are so fortunate to have such beautiful landscape to explore! so great that you take advantage of it!
Tami says:
February 7, 2012 at 2:18 pm (UTC -7)
You are not the first person to leave a comment saying probiotics didn’t agree with your digestive track. I guess I am one of the luck ones in that regard. So far so good! I was at Costco yesterday and saw those little bottles of fruit flavored Kefir but they did contain quite a bit of sugar so I decided to stick with the plain Kefir and add my own fruit. I can’t wait for your green tea smoothie recipe!
Cammy@TippyToeDiet says:
February 7, 2012 at 8:03 am (UTC -7)
Throughout my loss phase and even in maintenance, I’ve never been quite comfortable with the idea of a ‘cheat day’. (Don’t like that term or Oz’s ‘Faturday’–just my personal squick) Other than Christmas, I lean more toward a ‘splurge-a-month’, which is one meal that’s whatever I want. Otherwise, I eat my regular rotation of foods, because they’re truly what I want, iwith the occasional brownie or sweet treat thrown in for fun. It seems to work for me, so far…
Haven’t tried the Kefir. It tends to be more expensive than yogurt around here.
Tami says:
February 7, 2012 at 2:24 pm (UTC -7)
I had to laugh at Dr Oz’s term “Fat-urday” they were trying to keep it on the light side I guess.
It comes down to semantics – “splurge” “treat” or “cheat” “planned sweet” or “specail treat” regardless of what we call it, it’s what works for each of us as we try to figure out our relationship with food.
I have never cared for the word “cheat” myself. It carries with it a feeling of doing something wrong, shame and guilt. Who needs that?
I admire you in the fact that you have found a wonderful balance that is working for you and a food plan that you can live with! Life is good!
Biz says:
February 7, 2012 at 2:52 pm (UTC -7)
My daughter is the smoothie queen – I’ll have to show her that Kefir stuff! Jealous of your hike!! Sounds like fun, even if it was on the cool side.
I love the idea of Fat-urday!!
Tami says:
February 7, 2012 at 6:47 pm (UTC -7)
I should have known you would like Fat-urday Biz – you are the queen of good food!
Judy says:
February 7, 2012 at 6:00 pm (UTC -7)
Hey Girlfriend,
We are miles apart–but thinking alike!
I just tried Kefir this morning! I bought mine at Trader Joe’s! I too made a berry ,flax smoothie with vanilla nunaturals ( I won the nunaturals on your blog.) It was yummy–going to be my breakfast this week. I like the idea of adding spinach for a vegi. I’ve been in a rut with my diet lately and I hope this 17 day diet will shake it up a bit–no a lot!!
Your hikes look amazing!! I wish I could join you!!
Tami says:
February 7, 2012 at 6:51 pm (UTC -7)
Hi Judy!
The Kefir smoothies are amazing and so filling! I like filling!
Glad to know you are doing the 17 Day Diet with me! I made an awesome chicken veggie soup tonight and I will try to post the recipe soon.
The hikes have been so much fun and its the type of exercise I can look forward to because it doesn’t feel like the regular boring exercise routine! So much better than being on the treadmill but of course on rainy days that’s where I am!
Wishing you well on your food plan.
Diane Fit to the Finish says:
February 8, 2012 at 4:02 am (UTC -7)
If my kids had seen those dangerous animal signs, they would have been out of there! You are the 4th or 5th person I’ve seen using that diet. So glad to hear more about it and read how much you are enjoying it. Does it have a maintenance portion?
Tami says:
February 8, 2012 at 11:25 am (UTC -7)
Hi Diane! Yes, The 17 Day Diet does have a plan for maintenance which we all know is actually the hardest part of weight loss! When I arrive to that part of the journey I will post about his plan for maintenance and how it works for me.
Susan Smithson says:
February 11, 2012 at 6:10 am (UTC -7)
Kefir is the new “old” food on the market for health! It has been a part of traditional cultures for thousands of years for its health benefits. Now it is becoming popular for boosting the immune system and restoring the intestinal flora in the digestive tract. Here is a smoothie that is healthy and tastes delicious. It is a wonderful way to get all the beneficial bacteria in your daily diet. The yogurt in the recipe adds additional benefits.
Friday’s Light and Healthy Food Finds! » Nutmeg Notebook says:
February 10, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC -7)
[...] needed to eat something before I went for my walk but I didn’t want to be full of my morning Kefir Berry Shake (which I usuall have after my walk) so I decided to eat an Atkins protein bar I had in the pantry. [...]
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt » Nutmeg Notebook says:
February 23, 2012 at 1:45 pm (UTC -7)
[...] 2 Tbsp Kefir [...]
Parmesan Spinach Cakes & Broccoli & Sausage Quiche Cups / Weighing In » Nutmeg Notebook says:
March 2, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC -7)
[...] Prepping raw veggies for snacks in advance and keeping plenty of ingredients on hand to make Kefir smoothies has helped me stay on the food [...]